Impact of diet and age on element excretion from dogs

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

6-18-2004

Abstract

Dog (Canis familiaris L.) excreta may pollute the environment. However, little is known about the nature of canine feces and urine. A study was conducted to determine effects of age (young adult and geriatric) and diet (160, 240, or 320g crude protein (CP) kg-1 feed) on element concentrations in female beagle excreta. Age had no significant effect on element concentrations in feces or urine. Increasing dietary CP significantly increased fecal carbon (C; P > F= 0.0001) and nitrogen (N; P > F= 0.0001) concentrations, but decreased C:N (P > F= 0.0001). Canine fecal phosphorus (P) concentration was higher than typical values reported for feedlot cattle, broiler chickens, and swine produced in concentrated animal feeding operations. Fecal P concentration decreased when CP was increased from 160 (45.6 g P kg -1) to 240 g kg-1 (39.2 g P kg-1), suggesting that dietary manipulation has potential to decrease P discharge to the environment.

Publication Source (Journal or Book title)

Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis

First Page

1263

Last Page

1270

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